The Abotakyi Accord of 1733 was permanently replaced
with the Larteh Accord on May 8, 1994. The new Accord, which was signd by Nana
Asiedu Okoo III, Nana Otutu Ababio IV and Nana Gyan Kwasi II, created the
following autonomous Akuapem Paramountcies:

The Chiefs and Elders, who designed the Larteh Accord,
wisely included the following provision in it to ensure ongoing consultation
with all stakeholders in managing overall interests and affairs of all Akuapem
citizens.

“Establishment of a Council of Akuapem Paramount
Chiefs with a two-year rotating presidency”.

BACKGROUND:

Many unpleasant events led to the replacement of the
Abotakyi accord. On May 8, the indigenes (Guans, Kyerepongs and Akan Kamanas),
owners of Akuapem lands, told the Akyem immigrants, whom they had kindly and
generously settled at Amanprobi, Nsorem and Mpenease, that enough is enough.

The
Akuapems then known as the Hill Guans were living very peacefully with their neighbors;
Agonas, Gas, Krobos, Akyems and the Ductch until the Akwamus came to the scene
and started brutalizing them. When the Akwamu brutalities on mainly the Guans,
and the Kyerepongs on the Hills had gone beyond control and intolerable the
leadership had these settlers summon a meeting to chart and discuss a way out
of their predicaments. Gyedu Nkansa, then the King of the Guans and in that
capacity the leader of Akuapem in whose old age and at his hour of death just
at the beginning of his successor Ohene Berentiri initially thought those
maltreating them were Asantes and so sent a message to Asante Mampong, then the
capital of Asante to enquire whether they were those carrying out the
atrocities. They responded negative and to show their commitment sent a
delegation including troops to Akuapem. They are the present day Akuapem
Mampong. Later Gyedu Nkansa gave authority to Ofei Agyemang, chief of Gyakiti
and Sediesa (Asare Diedsa), chief of the Kyerepongs to extend an invitation to
the Akyems for assistance to fight the Akwamus. The delegation to Akyem was led
by Opanyin Ayeh Kissi, an elder of Nana Offei Kwasi Agyeman. The Okyenhene and
elders readily agreed to help. He therefore dispatched his warrious led by his
nephew Safori to join the bandwagon of the Guans Agonas, Gas, Krobos,
Kyerepongs and the Dutch. A thousand forces (Akuw apem) thus swooped down the
hill unto the hopeless Akwamus regiment at Nsakye as they advance. Unable to
withstand the shock of this highland change, the Akwamu forces broke, scattered
and fled away from Nyanawase, their capital across the Volta river to the
present day Akwamufie.

This
was the famous battle of Nsakye (1730) after which the Akwamu’s unspeakable
acts of cruelty and depredation on the highland community came to an end. After
the defeat of the Akwamus, the Akyems connived and convinced the Akuapems to
allow them to permamnently stay on their land so they can avail themselves to
help ward off potential Akwamu resurgence. Given the loose settlement set-ups
of the Akuapems, the Akyems used their chieftaincy and political skills to
their advantage when the Abotakyi Accord was signed in 1733. Since then, the
Akyem rule, under the leadership of Ofori Kuma Stool, was never different from
that of the Akwamus, if not worse.

The
Akuapem State never tasted peace and tranquility. To the Akyems, the name of
the game was “Divide and Rule” compounded by suspicion, frustration,
corruption, selfishness, arrogance, territorial expansion and putting the Guans
and the Okeres down.

The
seemingly peace and tranquility on the Akuapem Hill was brought about by the
timely arrival of Christianity and fear of God. The Akyems’ obnoxious attitudes
and nasty treatment of the Guans and Okeres generated many protests. The
Benkum, Nifa and Adonten divisions revoked their allegiance from the Omanhene
at Akropong repeatedly in 1770, 1885, 1896, 1906, 1915 and finally in 1994. In
1915 for instance, the Secretary for Native Affairs was instructed by the British
to settle the nagging differences between the Omanhene and his divisional
Chiefs. A mediating meeting was held by the Secretary in Amonokrom. In 1994,
all the bottled-up and pent-up bitterness, coupled with the violent clash
between Abiriw and Akropong over a disputed land resulting in loss of lives and
properties, became the final straw that broke the camel’s back. The Larteh
Accord was born.